Inside a former automotive parts plant in Sheboygan, Invento recently began churning out aluminum-topped plastic cans that have caught the beverage industry’s eye and triggered rapid growth for the startup operation.

A half-hour drive away in Manitowoc, Forefront Dermatology has evolved from a small community clinic into the second largest dermatology practice in the country and one of the fast-growing employers in Manitowoc County.

Lakeshore business leaders say the two firms are just the kind of fast-growing companies they hope to attract and retain as they continue to ramp up economic development efforts.

“Anyone walking in the door could be the next big business,” said Peter Wills, executive director of Progress Lakeshore.

Wills’ agency is charged with leading economic development efforts in Manitowoc County, with his staff assisting with business planning and financing, while also serving as a clearinghouse for related programs and agencies.

“It’s a lot of assistance, hand holding and walking them through the next steps in starting a business,” said Wills, who helps connect entrepreneurs with local banks, accountants, attorneys and small business advisers.

In Sheboygan, that role falls on the Sheboygan Economic Development Corp., which has evolved to focus on land acquisition, workforce development, non-traditional financing and entrepreneurship assistance.

“There are a range of services out there and an office like ours is well connected and can help anyone looking to start a business,” said Dane Checolinski, executive director of the SCEDC.

In Manitowoc, Wills believes the growing popularity of local foods could trigger a wave of new businesses, following in the footsteps of Pine River Dairy, Cher-Make Sausage and others.

“The best thing we have to leverage here, along with fresh water and tourism, is local foods,” Wills said.

Checolinski expects to see the next major local brands and employers come from startups offering new manufacturing technology that increases productivity, which he said has been maxed out at many manufacturers.

“In general, it will be any company that figures out a way to make something better, faster,” he said. “Those are the companies I’d be on the lookout for.”

Going forward, Wills hopes to see more assistance become available to communities to retain jobs, whereas existing tax credits and other incentive programs typically focus on creating new positions.

The problem with that, Wills said, is that while there are major incentives available to relocate a company, there's not always enough help available to convince them to stay put.

Atop Checolinski’s wish list would be to create a local business accelerator program, which would surround entrepreneurs with experts to help them quickly get off the ground and avoid the pitfalls that can plague startups.

“They put a team of experts behind someone with an idea and see if they can drive them forward,” he said.